In Your Head
by LittleGooseWalking
Summary: Walter's experiment gives Peter and Olivia the ability to read each others minds. But Olivia has secrets that she never wanted Peter to know. P/O naturally.
1. Walter's Experiment

**In Your Head **

_A/N: I always wandered what would happen when Peter and Olivia were the subjects in Walter's experiments, and mind reading would give an awesome twist to Peter and Olivia's relationship :) hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it (so far)_

_**anything in italics is thoughts. _

**1. Walter's Experiment**

"Walter! What. Are. You. Doing?" Peter Bishop demanded.

Peter had only just entered the lab, the doors shutting behind him, alerting Walter to his arrival. Walter had hurriedly hidden whatever he was doing under his desk.

"Ah, nothing, son. Nothing that concerns you." Walter quickly picked up several pieces of paper and walked hurriedly towards Olivia, who was seated in her office, hidden under piles of paperwork.

Peter watched from outside the office, as Walter showed Olivia the papers. She didn't look pleased, running her hand through her blondes hair as she usually did when she was stressed or unsure of something.

Walter spoke and Olivia looked up, half-confused and half-considering what he had said to her.

Peter couldn't help but wonder what Walter was talking to her about, but not with him.

Peter discreetly moved closer to the office, pretending to be intrigued by some device in the lab. He could hear Olivia's mumbled disapproval, and Walters inaudible response, trying to convince her of something.

Walter spoke again, Olivia nodded in acceptance, before motioning for Walter to leave the office. Walter scurried out, past Peter and towards Astrid.

"Astro?" Walter called out. He disappeared out of the double doors in search of Astrid.

"What has Walter being doing?" Peter asked, standing in the office doorway.

"Ah, he had an experiment he wanted me to try."

"What experiment?" Peter sat down opposite Olivia.

"What experiment?" Peter asked again, more demanding.

"He . . . He believes that the Cortexiphan in me will allow for a better, 'receiver', for his experiment."

"And . . . ?"

"He wants me, and another person to link minds in the tank, so Walter can see if a Cortexiphan subject can read minds, once a secondary drug has been injected into the second person. Walter thinks that, well, since I have Cortexiphan in my system, that I can possibly read the mind of another who has been injected with a diluted Cortexiphan solution. And they would be able to read mine, once, as Walter said, my mind has been opened."

Peter sat dumbfounded. He, or Astrid, would usually have to explain Walter's scientific babbles to her. But she seemed to understand what Walter had said.

Unnerved by his silence, she spoke, "Peter?"

"I have never heard you use scientific words in, well, _ever_."

"Photographic memory. It tends to include spoken words too, not just what's on paper."

"Your not doing the experiment," he half asked, "right?" seeing her look, was she actually considering it?

"It can't hurt. And it will increase our knowledge of Cortexiphan and what abilities it creates."

Peter couldn't believe his ears. She was actually considering going back in the tank, and having his mentally-unstable-half-the-time-lucid-wanting-to-experiment-on-everything father mess with her mind, and someone else's.

"Olivia! The man is insane. He could kill you. Don't go back into the tank, please!"

"I was kinda hoping, if I did agree, that, you'll do it with me." she asked. She was unsure how he would respond, so she buried herself in the copious amounts of paperwork, pretending not to care. But Peter saw it, she cared, she wanted him to be the one to do it with her. She didn't want to do the experiment with a stranger, she wanted him.

"Okay." he agreed all too quickly. Olivia's head shot up, surprised, by the fact that he hadn't debated more about her entering the tank again, and his wiliness to comply.

Walter became giddy as both Peter and Olivia prepared to enter the tank. He had been eager to try this experiment for weeks.

Peter stripped to his boxers. Placing his jeans and shirt on a chair as Olivia exited her office.

Walter began to ramble on about the procedure, telling Peter about the tank.

Olivia approached, wrapped in the light dressing gown, she had worn before her first time in the tank.

Olivia looked him up and down as he stood wearing only his boxers. He was well toned, muscular. It was better then she had imagined in her head.

"It's more like a complete sense of calm. You just float for awhile, till the drugs kick in and then your mind builds the rest. Walter tells you to look for things, search out for them. His voice sort of guides your mind to the right path." Olivia quickly explained, adverting her eyes to Walter, blushing slightly when Peter met her eyes.

"Right." he nodded understandingly.

Olivia untied the robe, laying it on the chair next to Peter's clothing, before allowing Walter to attach the necessary wires. Walter carefully attached the neural transmitter to the back of her neck. She gasped as it pierced her skin.

She slipped into the tank, floating on the waters surface. Peter gave her a weak smile as he closed the doors.

After several minutes, Walter believed he had opened the mind link in Olivia and was now Peter's turn.

Olivia told him that it was easy, to relax and let Walter guide him. He wasn't all too keen on doing this, but he'd rather it was him then Olivia being stuck with a random agent, or worse, a civilian.

"Okay, son, now when you see the blue door, open it and walk through." Walter directed,

Peter did as asked, walking through the door, he entered a very large crowd. They all stopped and stared at him as he entered, the blue door closing behind him and disappearing.

"I'm through." Peter stated.

"Very good, son. Now, what do you see?"

"A crowd. Hundreds of people, they're all staring at him."

"Okay, now, search for Agent Dunham. She will be somewhere in the crowd now her mind is open to you. Once you find her, take her hand in yours. Then you will awake."

Peter began, what would turn out to be the longest two hours of his life, searching for Olivia. The majority of the crowd were blondes, making his aim even harder.

He found Olivia at the very back of the crowd, by herself. She had been waiting for him. Taking her hand in his, he woke suddenly. Splashing around in the tank, he was pulled out by Walter, Astrid and Olivia.

"That," he choked for breath, "was not 'calm'. That was very stressing." he stated.

"First times the worst." Olivia rebutted, laughing softly.

They both dressed in silence, Peter massaging the back of his neck, feeling the small puncture holes the neural transmitter had left.

"Okay, so Walter," Olivia turned to him, "How long until we see results from this?" she asked,

"Ah, well it all depends. You both should get a good nights rest, eat healthy and not be stressed for the next 24 hours." Walter rambled,

"No stress?" Olivia scoffed, "If only."

Their entire job was a stressful one. There was no such thing as a 'no stress' when working for the FBI, let alone, what they do.

**ONE WEEK LATER**

"I don't understand, son. It _should_ have worked." Walter returned to pacing around the lab, he was deep in thought. He couldn't figure out why his experiment hadn't worked, why Olivia and his son couldn't read each others minds. There weren't even any side effects to show that it had gone wrong.

Walter wondered if he had gotten the amounts wrong, injected too much, or too little into Peter.

Both Peter and Olivia has been experiencing headaches nearly everyday, and were constantly tired. Walter began to mumble equations to himself, counting with his fingers.

"You know what, I'm leaving. Astrid, can you keep an eye on Walter?" Peter called out,

"Yeah, sure. Do you want me to take him home when he's done?" Astrid called back, she was cleaning Gene, per Walter's pleads.

"Yeah, that'd be great!" Peter hopped off the stool he was sitting on and offered his hand to Olivia.

"I'm gonna grab a drink, wanna join me?" he asked her. She took his hand and they headed for the doors.

"Sure, why not."

The bar was extremely crowded, but they managed to find two bar stools next to each other.

Peter hadn't noticed it at first, mixed in with the chit-chat of the bar goers. But he was sure it was her. Olivia. Talking. When he looked at her, she simply smiled, but her mouth was not moving.

_What if Walter messed up the drugs? Can it harm us?_ She was wondering about the experiment.

"Did you say something?" he asked, confused by what he had heard,

"No, I didn't. Why?" she asked, finishing her beer.

"Oh, nothing, I thought I heard you say something."

"Can I get another." Olivia asked the female bar tender.

"Sure." she turned to Peter, "What about you, want another?" she leant forward, her breasts pushed up by the counter. Peter simply shook his head, turning his attention back to Olivia.

_God, why does this annoy me so much? Peter's probably thinking about her now. Come on, Olivia, Stop thinking about him. Think about . . . Think about your job, the FBI..._

Peter looked at Olivia, seeing her flustered look. She shook her head slightly, as if trying to rid her mind of her thoughts of Peter.

Olivia took several swigs of her new beer, washing away her frustration as the pretty bartender continued to flirt with Peter. But Peter, for some reason, didn't acknowledge her presence.

"You know that girl was hitting on you for most of the night?" Olivia asked as they walked back to the car.

"Yeah, I know."

Olivia was confessed, usually Peter would grab their number, or talk to them, but tonight, he paid complete attention to Olivia, not caring for the girl.

"I already my eye on someone."

Olivia felt her heart fall, _Oh. I wonder who? Oh god if it's Rachel . . . At least he is better then Greg._

Peter was saddened by her thoughts. He wanted so badly to tell her. But he knew that she would close up, build walls around herself. Protect herself from getting hurt, like John did to her. He knew that she would ran away from it. She always did.

Peter decided not to tell Olivia, or Walter that he could read Olivia's mind. One, she would kill him if she knew what he had heard, and two, it would give him the chance to get to know her a little better. The Olivia Dunham that had locked herself behind walls and barriers, hidden away.


	2. Olivia, In The Dinning Room, With the Sp

_A/N: anything in italics is thoughts. _

**PREVIOUSLY**

Peter decided not to tell Olivia, or Walter that he could read Olivia's mind. One, she would kill him if she knew what he had heard, and two, it would give him the chance to get to know her a little better. The Olivia Dunham that had locked herself behind walls and barriers, hidden away.

**2. Olivia. In the Dinning Room. With the Spaghetti. **

_Peter's Story_

Today was an unusual day. There were no cases to investigate, no dead bodies, no paperwork to complete, sign or edit. It was a boring day, full of nothing, and nothing accomplished.

Olivia fidgeted in her seat as Walter tried to remember the exact dosages given to Peter and herself, for his experiment. They had been sitting there, waiting for Walter's epiphany for at least three hours.

"Walter! Just leave it. Forget the whole thing." Peter practically exploded from tension and annoyance.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He was tired, having been kept awake all night by Walter's constant ramblings of the Fibonacci Sequence. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144. Walter always seemed to stop there, and then started again. These numbers were practically burned into Peter's brain.

Olivia stood up, checking the time on her mobile. "I've got to get going. Rachel said she wanted to cook dinner," _I'll probably eat before I get there, she can't cook, but I promised she could at least attempt to cook spaghetti, at least fake a decent smile. _Peter looked at her. So she was the Dunham sister that could cook. He wondered what Rachel was good at that Olivia wasn't.

"Hey Astrid, could you take Walter home when he's finished?"

"Yeah, sure Peter. How about some ice cream Walter, before I drop you off?"

"Toffee ice cream!" Walter exclaimed.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." Olivia started for the door,

"Hey, 'Livia, can you give me a ride?"

"Sure."

"Why is Rachel cooking?" he asked when they were in the car. Olivia pulled out of the parking spot and headed for the main road towards her apartment.

"I broke one of her favourite CDs so I agreed to let her cook. She knows she can't cook, but she tries her best." a small smile spread across her lips as she spoke. Rachel must have had some terrible 'trying her bests' for Olivia to smile at the memory.

"She ant be too bad of a cook."

_You have no idea, Peter. It's terrible, Ella likes it because she grew up with it, but I always cooked at home._

"Really? Okay, stay for dinner and we'll see who gags first."

"$20 I don't gag, then."

"Your on." she smiled widely, knowing the outcome already.

_Ha, poor Peter. Easy $20. _

They arrived soon after their little wager was made. Rachel was just setting the table.

"Hey, Liv!" she started, "Oh, and Peter." she corrected.

"I said he could stay for dinner."

"Well that's good, I made a big bowl."

They sat down at the table, Ella bouncing from her room and sitting next to Peter.

"Did Mommy cook?" Ella asked Olivia quietly as Rachel went to get the spaghetti.

"Yes." Olivia answered.

The little girls noses wrinkled in disgust.

"But mommy can't cook as well as you do, Aunt Liv."

Peter broke out in laughter. So even her own daughter didn't lilac her cooking.

"Don't worry, baby girl. I'll take you for ice cream later."

She smiled widely.

POPOPOPO

"Hand it over." Olivia held her hand towards Peter as he sculled his bottle of pepsi.

He reluctantly handed her the twenty dollar bill, groaning displeasingly.

"I told you she couldn't cook."

Peter, Olivia and Ella walked down the street, away from the ice cream store, back towards the car.

Ella licked her ice cream. Olivia held both hers and Peters while he washed out his mouth.

"Did she out garlic or mustard in it?" he asked.

"Yeah, she has a weird thing for mustard. Especially on burgers." Olivia answered.

Once the pepsi was gone, they started on their ice creams, which had melted down most of Olivia's hand.

Peter could hear Olivia's thoughts. She was mentally gloating. No, _screaming_ to the world that she had been right.

Peter took his serviette and started to wipe away the melted ice cream from Olivia's hand. The second his hand touched hers, Olivia's thoughts changed completely. All she could think about now was Peter.

He ran his hand with the serviette down her arm, wiping it clean. She stood absolutely froze on the stop, scared to move, breath. She followed his hand with her eyes.

When he took his hand away he could hear her, _Don't stop. _

Peter was beginning to like this ability his father had 'bestowed' upon him. He mentally smiled to himself.

Olivia breathed deeply, collecting herself form the millions of pieces she had shattered into from Peter's touch.

They looked at each other, just . . . Gazing into each others eyes.

_Stop it! Stop thinking about him. He's not yours to think about!_ Peter could tell she was mentally yelling at herself. If only she knew that he loved her.

He debated with himself, tell her? Don't tell her? If he told her, she'd freak, hide herself, but if her didn't, she'd never know, she'd wonder 'What if?', she'd be hurting.

Ella had walked ahead of them, unaware that they had stopped.

"Aunt Liv?" she called out.

This shook Peter and Olivia back to reality and they hurried on towards the little girl.

_A/N: short, I know, sorry. _

_I have two ideas for the next chapter, both will decide how to continue the story, so I want your opinions on what you wanna read. _

_1) Peter is the only one with the ability and continues listening to Olivia and him trying to tell her that he loves her _

_2) Olivia gets the ability as well, but doesn't tell Peter - so the chapters will alternate form both their stories and what they hear from the others, eventually proclaiming their love for each other_

_~*Anyways, tell me what idea you like the best, majority rules, any other ideas are welcome. _

_A note on the title, I was watching Olivia. In the Lab. With the Revolver when I was writing this. _

:)


	3. Peter

_A/N: okay, Idea #2 won, sorry to those who wanted #1. This chapter is going to be short, because the way I wrote it is so that Olivia can read his mind, but mostly Peter reading her mind. I was torn between the two and it was a close call for votes. _

_**anything in italics is thoughts. _

**PREVIOUSLY**

Olivia breathed deeply, collecting herself form the millions of pieces she had shattered into from Peter's touch.

They looked at each other, just . . . Gazing into each others eyes.

_Stop it! Stop thinking about him. He's not yours to think about!_ Peter could tell she was mentally yelling at herself. If only she knew that he loved her.

He debated with himself, tell her? Don't tell her? If he told her, she'd freak, hide herself, but if her didn't, she'd never know, she'd wonder 'What if?', she'd be hurting.

Ella had walked ahead of them, unaware that they had stopped.

"Aunt Liv?" she called out.

This shook Peter and Olivia back to reality and they hurried on towards the little girl.

**3. Peter**

_Olivia's Story_

She couldn't tell if Peter knew she could read his mind, he hadn't thought 'hey, I can read her mind.' so she just assumed that the ability hadn't worked for him.

It had been two days since she had realised, but she was too fascinated with what was in Peter's head to tell him. Or Walter for that matter. Walter would have poked and prodded them, experiment after experiment, test after test.

She had learnt so much from just . . . Poking around inside his mind.

The other day, they were sitting around waiting for Walter to finish his ramblings, and her mind wandered and she began to sift through his thoughts, memories.

At first, he had despised her for dragging him from Iraq to get his father to help her save the man she loved. But had grown to like her. She was shocked to learn that he thought the world of her. He thought she was strong willed, independent, brave and not afraid of anything. But that was also her problem. She was _too_ cut off, alone. She wouldn't show any emotions, she would let anyone in, let anyone love her. Was that why she couldn't bring herself to say 'I love you' to John that night in the motel room?

She had learnt more about herself then she cared too, so she had stopped intruding his mind. She managed to block him out, put up a barrier to his mind. She felt more calm around him now, not knowing what he thought of her. Honestly, she was too afraid to _know_ what he thought of her.

POPOPOPOPOP

"Agent Dunham!" Walter exclaimed. He held a tub of chocolate chip ice cream in one hand, and a well-rounded spoon of ice cream in the other. He wore his usual night time attire, a tied red night robe, and most likely nothing underneath. Her ungodly hour wake ups of the Bishop's, had become a mere norm now. And from past experience, Peter was always grumpy and strong coffee would help the situation. She walked in, placing the the tray of three coffees on the kitchen bench.

"We have a case. Broyles wants us at the lab in thirty minutes." she looked around, usually Peter was up as well, especially since Walter was up, eating ice cream with the television blaring in the background.

"Where's Peter, Walter?"

"Asleep," he spoke, mouth full of ice cream. "Do you want me to wake him?"

"No, I can do it, Walter. You finish your ice cream." she walked as silently as she could down the hall towards Peter's bedroom. She had only had to wake him twice before, but walking down the hallway felt extremely familiar, comfortable.

She decided she'd have just a small _peep_ in his mind. After all, he was sleeping, what was the worse that could happen?

She stood next to the door, her ear placed lightly against it.

_'God, Olivia! Please!' _She could he the begging in his voice. '_Ohh' _He started to moan, she could hear him mentally and through the door.

She walked back down the hall, suddenly aware that Peter thought of her in _that_ way.

"Is Peter coming?" Walter asked, he was sitting on the couch watching some show.

"Ah, no. Not yet. I'm gonna let him sleep a little longer." she blushed a deep red, but shook it off as best she could.

Several minutes later, Olivia asked if Walter could go wake Peter, too embarrassed herself to venture there again.

"Hey, morning." he said sleepily as he stumbled half-asleep into the lounge room. Olivia sat on the couch, drinking her coffee, her feet rested on the coffee table.

She stood up, "Hi." she said shyly, "Your coffee might be cold." indicating towards the kitchen bench.

He took the coffee, sculling it eagerly in the hope of waking up. He showered and dressed quickly, before being dragged by an eager Walter out to meet Olivia, who had went to start the car.

POPOPOPOPOPOP

They arrived at the lab, meeting Broyles. Two agents guarded a girl in the corner, who was sipping a cola.

Broyles informed them of what happened.

"Aimee Walker, 14 years old, killed her father while defending her mother and siblings from his abuse. She killed them when her body 'over loaded' of sorts, creating an energy explosion from her body."

Broyles continued, "her mother said that she was different. She could read minds and can create energy fields from the excess energy used because of her mind reading."

"What do you want us to do about it?" Olivia asked,

"Well, her mother asked if there was anything we could do to stop her 'ability' or prevent any further outbursts." he spoke, "Walter mentioned he was doing an experiment on you and Peter, on mind reading, and cortexiphan."

"Yeah, Walter may be able to do something. No guarantees though." Peter interjected.

Olivia walked over to Aimee, who smiled up at her, "Aimee, I'm Olivia Dunham, that is Peter Bishop," she pointed to Peter behind her, "We're going to help you figure this out."

"He likes you, more then you know." she stated. "But you've been in his head already, why doesn't he know?"

"I don't want to tell him just yet. Don't tell him. Okay?" Aimee nodded, smiling at her.

"Dunham?" Broyles called, Olivia apologised and left Aimee.

Peter took her place, introducing himself and asking her about what she can do, what happens afterwards. But she turned it against him, reading his mind and interrogating him.

"You haven't told her. You're poking around in her mind and she doesn't know." her head turned sideways as she dug deeper into his mind, "But she's fragile, you don't want to hurt her. You're only wanting to know what she doesn't feel ready to tell you face to face, things kept secret. Things like her step father, her childhood." she took his thoughts from straight from his head.

She knew everything. This was going to be a problem.

_A/N: okay so I hope this is okay. I added in Aimee so that she can be a mid-way person for Peter and Olivia. Also the case, the abusive father will (hopefully) help me put in Olivia's past and her step father (as asked for). _

_** I've got more exams this week, so until at least Friday I won't have much time to update. Sorry for the inconvenience. _

_:) _


	4. Poking Around, Two Can Play At That Game

_A/N:__ I had some free time during my exams. This chapter is a bit short, sorry, but you all wanted an update soon, so here you go _

_**anything in italics is thoughts. _

**PREVIOUSLY**

"You haven't told her. You're poking around in her mind and she doesn't know." her head turned sideways as she dug deeper into his mind, "But she's fragile, you don't want to hurt her. You're only wanting to know what she doesn't feel ready to tell you face to face, things kept secret. Things like her step father, her childhood." she took his thoughts from straight from his head.

She knew everything. This was going to be a problem.

**4. Poking Around****, Two Can Play At That Game**

_**Peter's Story**_

_That girl, Aimee. How much did she know? How far had she dug in his mind?_ Peter lay on his bed, hands running through his hair. _Do I tell her? Would she be upset, angry, or would she be okay with it? _He didn't know what to do. There were still too many questions about Olivia he wanted answers too. He was in love with a woman who he knew hardly anything about. Her past, her family. The best he knew was she shot her abusive father, a bit about Rachel, Greg and Ella.

It was only fair, since she seemed to know just about 'everything' to do with him and Walter.

He knew that if he got alone with Olivia and Aimee, the case, Aimee's father, her family, it would stir up Olivia's own memories. That's what happened to him. Whenever Walter brought up something, something Peter remembered, it was all he would think about for ages.

**POPOPOPOP**

The next day, Aimee was sitting patiently as Broyles and Olivia talked over what they were to do with her. Her mother couldn't take her; she had been admitted to a psychiatric facility late the previous night, having a mental break down, attacking several nurses, Aimee having stayed at the Bureau. Aimee's aunty, Marlene had taken her two sisters, Kate and Patricia, but refused to take Aimee.

Marlene had told Broyles that Aimee wasn't welcome. She snooped around, always in their heads. Marlene didn't see her as a 'special' child. She saw her as a 'freak' accident. A creation from her sister (Aimee's mother) and Aimee's father, a one night stand and a bottle of tequila. Aimee had a different father to her sisters, making her feel more like an outcast then a sibling. Most of her extended family didn't like her; her mother was always a 'good girl' and saw Aimee as the 'mistake that ruined her life'. Her mother always said she loved her, that of everything that could have happened after her and her father's one night stand, she was glad it was her.

Peter could see how upset this was making Olivia. An outcast child herself, at least that's what he had perceived, from watching her during abandoned child cases, fringe and FBI.

Peter offered to take Aimee out to get lunch seeing as she had been holed up in the lab most of the day, reading what books Walter had to offer. Much to Olivia's dismay, Astrid had coaxed her to go with them that she had been working hard enough.

**POPOPOPOP**

"Fish and Chips?" Peter asked, surprised, "You want fish and chips?"

Aimee nodded. She was a small teenager, standing a bit under Olivia's shoulders.

They walked towards the local diner. When asked what dish Aimee had never had, 'Fish and Chips' was her answer. Fortunately, one diner nearby did Fish and Chips regularly.

Peter listened to Olivia, trying not to let her know he was. She seemed to be blocking . . . well everything. De-attaching herself from the case, form the world. Sometimes he wished she would just open her eyes, just so she would see that he was there for her. He could hold her when she cried, be there for her. But she never did. Bottled up, hidden away.

_**Olivia's Story**_

"Agent Dunham?" Aimee's voice pulled Olivia away from her day dream. She was thinking about the case, her own father, Rachel always being the favourite. She hated when cases hit too close to home.

It had been what felt like days, since she had heard Peter's dream, since she had decided to close off his mind, so she couldn't hear him no more. But Aimee's current situation, her own ability threatened to expose her secret. But she continued the facade that she couldn't hear a thing.

"Yeah?"

"You were dazing off, again." Peter said.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I'm just tired." Olivia smiled sweetly; forcing her eyes open wide, trying to wake up.

Their meals arrived soon after they had sat down. Meat pies and chips for Olivia and Peter and Fish and Chips for Aimee.

They ate in silence, Olivia laughing every now and then at Aimee scoffing her meal. Either she was quite hungry (with terrible hospital food, who can blame her) or she really enjoyed Fish and Chips.

"Do you want to talk, about it." Peter asked suddenly,

"I knew a decent lunch would come with a price. What do you wanna know? Why I killed my father? What made me tick? What could possibly make a 14 year old murder someone?" she said this simply, not rudely or insultingly. She was calm, having expected that question.

Peter and Olivia looked at her across the table.

"You've had that question on your mind for the past 20 minutes, trying to figure out the best way to ask it." She ate another bite of her crumbed fish.

"Oh." Was all Peter said.

"He would come home drunk, yell at my mum, say that she was cheating on him." She spoke calmly. "My mum had separated from him, got pregnant with me and took him back when she realise she couldn't support having me by herself. He never forgave her for it, said she was a 'cheating bitch who deserved everything she got'. I was nothing but filth to him. Someone to do his dirty work, clean, cook, the things my mum never knew how to do. He treated my sisters with great respect. They were the favourites, but when he was drunk, none of us were safe."

She continued eating; pausing to calm her nerves every few sentences.

"One day, he hit my mother so hard she became unconscious. My sisters were screaming at him to stop, to leave them alone. He was drunk, so I thought I'd mess with his head. Make him hear things, talk to him, make him confused. He knew it was me. Said my voice was always an annoying squeal constantly in my head. He started beating me, the usual, with his belt; the buckle would leave marks on my skin, to remind me of my wrong doings." She lifted her black shirt, showing several belt-buckle marks on her arm, some disappearing around her chest. Olivia pushed back the flood of emotions, the hurt that poor girl went through,

"When he started to scratch me, the closer he got, the more scared I became and then," she shrugged innocently, like it didn't matter, "he fell over, dead. Blood pooled out his ears, eyes, his mouth. He exploded from the inside. At least that's how my sisters put it."

Olivia understood where she was coming from. Defending herself and her family. Just like Olivia had. She still remembers that day as if it were yesterday. The sound of her step-father's car returning, pulling up into the driveway. The door slamming shut as he approached again, opening the front door. Anger evident in his blood-cold eyes. He was determined to make her pay.

When she shot him, all she felt was relief. They were safe now. Everyone was safe. Rachel no longer cried at night, Olivia having to sing her to sleep. Rachel usually hid in her closet, behind her book rack. Their step-father was too big to fit behind it, to reach her. It was her getaway.

They finished their meal in silence, walking back to the lab. Olivia told Aimee how brave she was, standing up to her father. She knew that she could never tell her this, as an agent of the law, so she thought it instead, knowing Aimee would hear it.

_You should be proud. Despite what you did was wrong, killing a man, you defended not only yourself, but your mother and your sisters. __You had the courage to do something no one else every could._

Aimee looked at her as she thought this, _Just like you did._

Olivia heard this happily. They were more alike then she had originally thought.

_**Peter's Story**_

Peter could hear them. Olivia, telling her that _she did what no one else had done_, and Aimee's reply. But he wondered, could Olivia hear it? Or did Aimee 'project' (is that the right word, he wondered) the thought into Olivia's mind? He didn't dwell on that thought for too long. He was consumed by Olivia's memories. Her step-father. The flood of emotion that rippled under the surface, tears being held back. He had never felt so much sadness before. Olivia was glad she shot her step-father, but regretted not killing him.

Peter looked at her as they walked, _Why did you never tell me about your step-father? I've always been there for you, you know you can trust me. _He thought, knowing she couldn't hear it.

But Olivia turned, looking face on at him.

_Oh no._ Was all he thought.

_A/N: okay so I know I've kinda repeated heaps form the show about her step-father but I'm not really sure where I want that to go, what past to build it on, but I will eventually _

_Hope it was okay, this was a quick, 'I had 30 minutes free-time' thing. _

Until next time, Au revoir


	5. Insomnis Veritas

_A/N: Firstly, let me apologize immensely. I am SOOOOOOOO sorry for not updating sooner. I got distracted by my other story (In 10 Months) and completely forgot about this one. I'm do my best to alternate and try and upload new chapters for both at the same time._

_Secondly, this chapter has three swear words (same word) in the first paragraph. _

_Okay so the way I wrote this is that it's both of their thoughts of the situation and then them discovering they can read each other's minds. I confused myself a little writing this, so hope its okay. _

**PREVIOUSLY**

Peter looked at her as they walked, _Why did you never tell me about your step-father? I've always been there for you, you know you can trust me. _He thought, knowing she couldn't hear it.

But Olivia turned, looking face on at him.

_Oh no._ Was all he thought.

**5. Insomnis Veritas **

"What did you say?" Olivia had stopped walking, looking at him.

"Hmm? Nothing." _Play dumb. You said __nothing__. _Peter thought.

_He heard me. About my step-father. He heard it all. Shit. _Olivia's thoughts were muddled, confused and angry at the same time. _Why was he poking around in my head? Why couldn't he just ask? Sure, I'd probably ignore it, but still __asking__ is more polite then rummaging through people's heads! _She was practically screaming the thoughts. More questions erupted, _Oh god, everything, everything I've been thinking about, he heard! How much does he know? __What__ does he know? Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

"Alright!" Peter burst suddenly. "Just . . . stop thinking. _Please._" He begged,

Her mind was on overload, and his head was pounding thanks to her mental conversation with herself.

_Walter's experiment worked. Did Peter tell Walter? _She stopped thinking for a second, _No, he didn't._ She concluded after sifting through his thoughts quickly.

_Hello Olivia. _Peter thought. He knew this would catch her attention.

Olivia's eye opened wide, before squinting angrily, _Get out of my head, Bishop._

_I'd say the same to you, Dunham. Been poking around have you?_

_How much have you heard? _Olivia thought defensively.

"Oh, enough. You like bubble baths, Rachel's cooking is terrible, but then I tasted it firsthand. Oh and you're in love with me." Peter said out loud.

Olivia gasped, trying to keep her emotions in check. "No I'm not." _La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La,_ Olivia thought in an attempt to keep Peter out of her head. [If she can't think properly, then he can't hear her.]

Peter was saddened by her response. He'd been joking but secretly hoped it was true. He was hoping for some kind of mental response, a 'he knows' or 'yes'. But she had denied it and had hidden away behind 'La La's'.

_You guys do know I'm still here? Right. And I can hear everything? _Aimee joined their mental rampage.

"Oh, sorry Aimee. Let's get you back, find you somewhere to stay."

POPOPOPOPOP

When they returned to the lab, Olivia was still keeping up with the 'La La's', despite that fact that she wasn't thinking straight and struggling to talk properly with Broyles.

What Olivia had managed to understand of what Broyles had said to her, he had found a foster family for Aimee. Agent Johnson, who had been debriefed on the fringe unit a while back for an earlier case, had agreed to foster Aimee, and adopt her if she was happy with them. He knew the risks, her secret, but didn't care. His wife had always wanted kids, but was never able to conceive.

Aimee had left shortly after they had returned. Having thanked Peter and Olivia, she left happy. Broyles had cleared everything up, having the coroner report her father's death as a haemorrhage. An accident no one could foresee or prevent.

After all, it was accident, in defence.

Peter waved off Aimee as Agent Johnson drove them off. Peter was glad it was an easy case (they never got those often), but the things that were to come, with Olivia, weren't going to be as easy.

Olivia was in the office, gathering her things, and angrily stuffing them into her bag.

"Bye, Walter, Astrid. See you tomorrow." Olivia called as she left the lab.

Peter listened, _La La La La La La La La La La La La La La La. _Yep, definitely not going to be easy. He was surprised that she had kept it up that long. She was really determined to keep her personal thoughts, well personal.

"Have you annoyed Agent Dunham, son?" Walter asked him,

"Why?"

"She didn't say goodbye to you, Peter. I wonder if something's the matter?"

"Yes. We had a small fight." Peter admitted.

"Oh. About the mind reading?"

"Wha—who told you?"

"Olivia. When you were outside with Aimee just now. She was quite upset that you had invaded her privacy." Damn Walter for being lucid the one time Peter stuffed up. He knew he was in for a lecture, either about Olivia's feelings (her only being human and all) or how Peter should just profess his love for her and get it over with. These lectures came up commonly, whenever Peter and Olivia argued, or when the tension between them was so thick, even Walter on one of his concoctions (brown betty or LSD) could feel it.

"Well, Walter, she'd been poking around in my head too. So I should be mad at her."

"Yes, she did tell me that. But she blocked it, refused to hear it. I . . .I think was she scared of whatever she heard form you." Walter walked away, "Insomnis Veritas."

"In dreams there is truth." Peter translated.

"Exactly. She heard more then she wanted."

Walter looked at his son, he watched as Peter's mind clicked. Putting the pieces together.

That morning when she had came over to collect them for the case. Peter had dreamt of Olivia. But was woken by Walter, usually Olivia did when she came over, Walter either inappropriately dressed or immersed in something else.

She must have heard his dream. Knowing Olivia, Peter knew she probably freaked out. It explained her awkwardness.

"Astrid, can you take care of Walter for a few? I need—"

"Go." Astrid nodded, knowing what he planned, "Just don't do anything stupid!" she called as he sprinted out of the door.

_A/N: Okay I've started on the next chapter so update either Saturday or Sunday. _


	6. Truth or Consequences

_A/N: **anything in italics is thoughts._

**PREVIOUSLY**

She must have heard his dream. Knowing Olivia, Peter knew she probably freaked out. It explained her awkwardness.

"Astrid, can you take care of Walter for a few? I need—"

"Go." Astrid nodded, knowing what he planned, "Just don't do anything stupid!" she called as he sprinted out of the door.

**6. Truth or Consequences**

Peter must have waited outside her door near ten minutes. Considering all the different ways to talk to her, apologizing and trying to explain everything, his motives, all the while trying not to aggravate her, she was the one, after all, who carried the gun.

He had gone to her apartment expecting the worse. He had prepared himself for all the consequences of his actions. Olivia yelling at him. Olivia ignoring him, pretending like nothing had happened. Olivia being extremely calm about everything, accepting it, but deep down hating him.

He lifted his hand, fisted; about to knock when the door flew open and his body collided with another, both crashing to the ground.

As they fell onto the floorboards their heads slammed together.

Olivia stood up, rubbing her forehead. "Peter, what the hell are you doing here?" she asked, she was dressed in jeans and a light tee-shirt, mobile in hand and 50 dollars in the other.

"To apologize." He stood up, standing a foot away from her.

The proximity caused Olivia to step back, back into her apartment. Peter followed her inside.

"Do you, ah, want a drink?" Olivia asked, setting her phone on the kitchen bench and hunting around the lounge room for something.

"You don't have any whiskey, beer?" he asked,

She shook her head, holding up the $50's. She found her wallet, stashing the money back inside.

"I've got juice and milk. But, I'm pretty sure the milk's off." She walked back to the kitchen.

"I'll pass." A smile crept over his face. Trust Olivia to go shopping at the last minute.

Peter stood near the kitchen bench, Olivia standing on the other side, leaning against the cupboards, arms crossed.

After several awfully long minutes, Peter finally spoke,

"Look, I'm sorry, that I didn't tell you. But if I'd told you, you probably would have hurt me in some fashion."

Olivia knew that to be true. _People around me drop dead like flies. My father, John, Charlie. Trust me, it's easier to block people out, if I hurt them enough they stay away for good. _She watched his face as he heard her, gauging his reaction as he played around him her head.

'_Livia, let me in. Talk to me._

"Stay out of my head, Bishop. Not everything I think about is for you too hear."

"Everybody has secrets. Best friends are the people you can trust with them. Talk to me."

"Some things are meant to stay hidden away. Friends aren't meant to know everything." She glared at him. Her eyes ice cold. Peter found he was frozen on the stop, unable to move under her piercing glare.

After a few minutes of silence, Olivia's face calmed down, her posture relaxed.

"Tell me one thing, Peter. Why didn't you tell me? Me hurting you couldn't have been the only reason, huh? Why did you continue to poke around in my head? Tell me the truth."

"You never would have told me. When I first meet you, you always seemed troubled, always holding back. Like you carried a long-since-hidden burden that wasn't yours to bare. But I'd known you three days, I didn't care then. But as I got to know you, I could tell you didn't have many friends, people to talk to, and so your burden remained. Did Charlie know?"

_No. _Olivia's face crumpled a little at the thought. Charlie was her best friend (before Peter), she told him everything, but had always kept her childhood a secret.

"Exactly, you never told anyone. No one knew the real _you_." Peter explained. "I wanted to know the real you."

"But I didn't want you to know. I never wanted anyone to know. It was my life. And then you come along and open it, reading it like it was a book in a library. You had no right!" she yelled at him.

"Neither did you. You poked through my head. Heard my thoughts, my dreams."

"I didn't mean to hear them! I didn't purposely go looking through your head. Sure, I wanted to know what went on in there, but . . ." she trailed off, unsure as how to finish, "I didn't tell Walter because I knew he would make a fuss, poke and prod me."

Peter read her thoughts, this was true.

She looked at the ground shyly, guiltily. "I heard things I didn't want to hear. I didn't tell you because I closed your mind off. I wanted to pretend like I never heard anything." She admitted.

"It scared you. My dream."

All she did was look at him, neutral. Peter couldn't hear anything in her head.

"I love you, Olivia. But I need to know who I am in love with. I wanted so desperately for you to tell me, to let me help you with the burden you bared. But you never told me. In the year, nearly two now, that we've known each other, all you ever said was that you shot him. You never opened up completely to me.

She looked up from the floor again,

"I love you too, Peter." She smiled slightly.

He walked over to her, kissing her ever so lightly, before hugging her.

"You know, we should really tell Walter his experiment worked. He'd been fretting for ages thinking it failed." Olivia said against his chest.

Peter only laughed, remembering Walter's confused ramblings and equations during the night, trying to figure out where he went wrong.

"Come here." He walked over to the couch, sitting down.

She sat down on the couch with Peter and began to talk, Peter holding her hand comfortingly.

"Rachel and I, we were both so young. We didn't know any better. We knew what he was doing wasn't right by the way our mother would cry. She cried like she was losing something, but she never did anything to stop it. She just cried."

They sat there, Olivia telling him everything.

She was finally opening up to him.

_**A/N: The End. **_

_**Sorry I ended this suddenly, but I really want to focus on my other story **_**In 10 Months. **_**So read and review, how did this one go? My third fan-fic, how am I doing so far? **_

_**Thank you for reading and sticking with the story **___


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